Spider mites, White flys etc. and how to successful eliminate them with Neem Oil

high @ all,
well i want to let you know how we successful eliminate heavy spider mites population in a grow room.
Often spider mites came from outdoor plants when they veg outside and then for flowering put indoors. Also you can bring them by yourself into the grow room...
Well don't want to tell you how and why etc... you can find everything on the web over spider mites...
This method works until the last 2 weeks in flower without a notice in the buds smell and smoke... the package claim 3 days and it's gone... but i have no experience...
So here is how we have solved the problem the last 10 years...
We always use Neem that you can buy everywhere:
http://www.natureneem.com/index_fichiers/Neem_oil_cold_pressed.htm
Neem Oil works by contact and for the top buds it goes also into the plant and kills the other who are sucking somewhere in the top of the plant!


1. if lights are out spray the plant's with neem and look that you spray under the leaves too because they sitting most time under the leaves... You don't need to spray the buds on top... just from the half plant down and the stem and ground too!

2. switch of air ventilation and dehumidifier for next 12 hours darkness. Spider mites don't like it wet!

after the dark time you can switch on vent and dehumidifier...

watch now the leaves where some mites are on... they change color and die... now there are also some eggs elsewhere so after 3 - 5 days it's better to repeat the process. But you don't need to always because neem stays around for ca. 3 days and if the new born mites get in contact with the plant they will die too... and if you do spray a second time you can use less neem and more water.
So after 5-7 days look under the leaves with a magnifier and if there still white spider mites you need to repeat it and do it better than the last time! In 10 years we never had to do this 3 times... just a second because you can not be sure of the eggs...
So after 3 days i like to wash the plants with clean water so i use the sprayer to wash them when lights are out... don't know if it is necessary but it feels better ;-) Also if you have... you can feed and help the plant with leave nutrients or vitamin spray etc. after washing.
Normally the mites are gone now... we never found living ones after use of the neem procedure. Well you can also spray your complete glow room with neem to get rid of all your enemy... we did that 2 times and well it worked fantastic.

What i do personally when i veg outdoor. I spray all plants when i put them into my flower room with neem and clean them with water after 3 days and i never got any mites or other in my grow room.

Also we never found any negative aspect of using neem... it is biological has no influence of the plants health, grow, taste and high ...and most important it works!

Conclusion:
It's not a problem to get mites and other but it can be hard to get rid of them...
But i would never give up... use neem and you will see... it's not expensive and before you kill all plants and trow them away i would give it a try!

M.

Thanks for sharing your insights about the spider mites MadMac,

We all long term growers always have had to deal with this agressive pest, the fact growers exchange infected clones has always been a problem, as spider mites populations exchange resistances against products/insecticides.

If the spider mite infection is just starting and is not severe then the use of neem and sulfur can help to stop their development, but sometimes is not enough when the infection is strong in flowering and the products cannot be sprayed.

It's very important to keep the growing area super clean, well ventilated, temps over 25 increase a lot the spider mites reproduction so it's important to keep the mothers around 24ºC or a bit lesser. Once a growing area has suffered an infection then everything must be cleaned with bleach: walls, pots, tools, fans, etc ... before start again a new cycle in the same place.

To lose a flowering cycle due spider mites is really painful, but what is more important is to have the mother room clean so you can always start again with healthy clean clones.

I don't like to recommend chemical insecticides due its toxicity, but the unique product that truely worked for me to kill the spider mites is abamectine.
When correctly used abamectine kills completely all the spider mites eggs and adults and is not systemic, so it won't remain inside the plant for long term, it's only superficial.
It must be applied with darkness, the abamectine easily degradates in just 1-2 days with the direct sun so when is correctly used (mask, glooves, long clothes, applied in the open air, etc ...) the toxicity after a few days is low and won't remain in the flowering process.

Hope it helps!

I love the stuff, I just wish I had the odd plantation or two ...lol